Mandevilla×amabilis cultivar Monite

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct selection of  Mandevilla×amabilis  cultivar Monite characterized by its unique combination of pale pink buds and pale pink flowers which display a showy cluster of pink petaloids within the flower throat appearing as a pink flower within a larger pale pink flower.

This invention relates to a new and distinct selection ofMandevilla×amabilis (Hort. Bach.) Dress., reputed to be a hybrid ofMandevilla speldens×Mandevilla crassinoda and a member of theApocynaceae family. Mandevilla×amabilis cultivar Monite was the resultof a sport observed on a Mandevilla×amabilis cultivar Alice du Pont (notpatented) plant in April 1997. This novelty of a flower within a flowerwhich botanically are the petaloids within the throat of the flower, waswhat the selection was based on. My discovery was made at SperlingLandscape & Supply, 24460 Calabalas Road, Calabalas, Calif. My newselection has been asexually reproduced at 18331 East FoothillBoulevard, Azusa, Calif. exclusively by tissue culture since thediscovery. Had this sport not been discovered and propagated, it mayhave been lost to mankind. It is unlikely this particular select andfavourable attribute of this plant could be conveyed to progeny throughsexual reproduction in the next generation. Through extensive tissueculture propagation it has been established that the novel exceptionalcharacteristics of this plant are stable and reliably passed on toclonal specimens through asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Mandevilla×amabilis cv. Monite was selected for its showy cluster ofpink petaloids within the flower throat appearing as a pink flowerwithin a larger pale pink flower. Prior to my discovery, onlyMandevilla×amabilis with either single flowers such asMandevilla×amabilis c.v. Alice du Pont (not patented), c.v. Monte U.S.Plant Pat. No. 10,329, and c.v. White Delite U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,479along with the recently introduced double c.v. Rita Marie Green U.S.Plant Pat. No. 11,787 were widely grown. None of these cultivars displayshowy petaloids that remain within the throat of the flower. Myselection cultivar Monite will tolerate a 30° F. temperature, which isequivalent to U.S.D.A. hardiness zone ten, but does require frostprotection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying illustrations FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 exhibit flowers andbuds of a specimen of cultivar Monite reproduced in color as true asreasonably possible with illustrations of this type, the color fidelitymay be slightly lighter in color.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Below is a detailed description of a 2 year old plant ofMandevilla×amabilis cultivar Monite. The color terminology is from TheRoyal Horticultural Color Charts. Descriptions are from containerizedplants grown in temperatures ranging from 35° F. to 105° F. in Azusa,Calif.

Overall habit: Tropical twining vine.

Overall size: Average height is 5 meters, may achieve height to 6-7meters. Similar in overall size to other Mandevilla×amabilis cultivars.

Root development: Nine weeks from agar media to fully rooted throughtissue culture process.

Heat/drought tolerance: Thrives in temperatures 75° F. to 105° F. withample soil moisture. Prefers roots and base in shaded situation.

Pest/disease resistance: Similar to ‘Alice du Pont’ variety, susceptibleto red spider mites.

FOLIAGE

Leaf arrangement: Opposite.

Type: Evergreen.

Shape: Elliptic.

Length: 10 cm to 16.5 cm.

Width: 5 cm to 7 cm.

Margins: Entire.

Apex: Short acuminate to tapered long acuminate.

Base: Cordate.

Texture: Coriaceous.

Venation: Lightly sunken veins appearing slightly bullate, one ribbed,secondary venation perpendicular to primary vein, curving upward.

Color:

Mature foliage.—Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group 137A. Lower LeafSurface: Yellow Green Group 146B. Upper Midrib: Yellow Green Group 144B.Lower Midrib: Yellow Green Group 145C.

Juvenile foliage.—Upper Leaf Surface: Yellow Green Group 146B. LowerLeaf Surface: Yellow Green Group 146B, 146C mixed with 63B Red PurpleGroup. Upper Midrib: Yellow Green Group 146D. Lower Midrib: Yellow GreenGroup 145D mixed with Red Purple Group 63B.

PETIOLE

Length: 8 mm to 12 mm.

Diameter: 4 mm to 6 mm.

Color: Yellow Green Group 144B to Green Group 138B.

STEM

Diameter: 4 mm on new growth to 14 mm on mature growth.

Color: Juvelile, Yellow Green Group 144A; Mature Grey Brown Group 199A.

Internode length: Grown in full sun, varies 4 to 8 cm.

Internode texture: Smooth on mature stems, pubescent on juvenile stem.

FLOWERS

Arrangement: Axillary raceme, 16 to 24 flowers per raceme.

Bloom season: Flowers produced Spring through Fall.

Number of flowers at anthesis: generally 2-3 flowers opened on eachraceme during bloom season.

Structure: Funnel shaped.

Outer.—5 parted corolla limbs.

Inner.—5 parted petaloids.

Bud:

Length.—5.5 cm to 6 cm.

Width.—1.6 cm to 2 cm.

COROLLA

Shape at anthesis: Corolla lobes overlap, with a length of 15 mm to 20mm in depth where the lobes do not overlap.

Width: 8.5 cm to 10 cm.

Length of throat from calyx to corolla limb attachment: 4 cm-4.5 cm.

Length of corolla from calyx to top of corolla: 5 cm-6 cm.

Margins: Entire.

Texture: Glabrous.

Individual corolla limbs: 3.5 cm-4.5 cm long 3 cm-4 cm wide.

Shape: Asymmetrical lobes with straight margin on one side, rounded onopposite side, overlapping.

CALYX

Sepal number: 5.

Length: 5 mm length, 2-3 mm in width at base, narrowing to 1 mm at tip.

Shape: Wide acicular.

Texture: Glabrous.

Color: Yellow Green Group 145A, tip edged with Red Purple Group 63B.

PETALOIDS

Number: Derived from 5 vestriges of stamens. Petaloid numberapproximately 10-15 lobes.

Individual petaloid length: 3-3.5 cm.

Individual petaloid width: 2-4 cm.

Texture: Glabrous.

Petaloid attachment: 1.4-1.7 cm above the top of calyx, petaloidssometimes joined at base or maybe separated the first 3 mm then usuallyjoined together at minimum 5 mm-1.2 cm in length overall shape:petaloids are tightly clustered and appear within the corolla throat notexceeding 1 cm above corolla limb attachment exhibiting “a flower withina flower”.

Individual petaloid shape: Varying in shape with obovate broad deeplycut showy petaloids attached to reminants with little or no vestige ofstamen visible and showy broad petaloids.

Color:

Bud.—Closed prior to anthesis Red-Purple 62B at tips and margins, RedPurple 65D outside corolla tube suffused with Yellow Green 145D lower 2to 2.5 cm of corolla tube.

Corolla and petaloids.—Red Purple 65B & C on margins lightening in colorto Red Purple 65D suffused with White Group 155D with tips of corollalobes and tips of petaloids tinged with Red-Purple 65D.

Corolla throat.—Slightly darkened striations of Red-Purple 65C changingto Yellow Group 4B at inner 12 mm of base (not visible on illustration).

Petaloid throat.—Margins appear the darkest shade of Red Purple 65B and65C as do the stamen vestiges and portion above the Yellow base (notvisible on illustration). Changing to Yellow Group 4B at inner base, 7mm of bottom.

Lastingness of bloom.—Minimum of five days.

Fragrance.—No fragrance.

REPRODUCTIVE STRUCTURES

Pistil: Superior.

Style: Generally present 10 to 15 mm in length, 1 mm to 2 mm in widthColor: Yellow Green Group 145B.

Stigma: Visible, 2 mm long, 2 mm width Color: Yellow Green Group 145C.

Stamens: Absent or vestiges of stamens present surrounded by showypetaloids (see description of petaloids).

Fruit: None observed—to date my new selection has not producedfruit/seed.

I claim:
 1. A new selection of Mandevilla plant substantially as hereinshown and described.